MARKET DEVELOPMENT
‘Sarawak A Major Investment Destination’ – Morshidi
‘Sarawak A Major Investment Destination’ – Morshidi
11/09/2015 (Borneo Post) - Sarawak welcomes and encourages entrepreneurs and investors from Asean countries and China to work together and explore various opportunities in Sarawak, especially in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), as well as China’s rapidly growing economy with focus on the Belt and Road Initiative.
In saying this, state secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani emphasised the need for all Asean member states plus China to capitalise on the economic transformation that was fast happening around the world.
“With current political stability and harmonious environment coupled with business friendly government and efficient administration, Sarawak is becoming a major foreign investment destination,” he said at the inaugural Asean-China Entrepreneurs (ACE) Conference held at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
It was jointly organised by Sarawak Entrepreneurs Association (SEA), Unimas University Community Transformational Centre (UCTC) and Fame International College.
More than 270 delegates, both local and foreign, attended the conference that served as a platform to strengthen ties, expand networking, discover new business and trade opportunities, to share latest information and experiences as well as to seal potential deals.
Quoting Malaysia Investment Development Authority, Morshidi said Sarawak recorded the second highest direct investment in the country at RM9.64 billion, with 18 projects approved last year.
“Out of the investment, RM8.40 billion was from overseas while the remaining was domestic,” he added.
On SCORE, he said it is one of Sarawak’s flagship programmes to develop the state as an economic hub in the region.
“SCORE has ten priority sectors; namely aluminium, glass, steel, oil-based, palm oil, fishing and aquaculture, livestock, timber-based, marine and tourism,” he elaborated.
Morshidi assured that all government agencies were strategized to create programmes to support SCORE.
“In our efforts to produce more qualified manpower to realise the industrialisation of Sarawak, there are 119 tertiary and technical and vocational institutions set up in Sarawak,” he said.
“In addition, the 11th Malaysia Plan for Sarawak announced by the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) will be the main development agenda for Sarawak in the next five years,” he added.
The development plan, Morshidi reassured, was formulated based on thorough studies, consultations and analysis with the main aim of bringing development to the people.
“With the robust economic growth, Sarawak achieved a steady annual growth of four to five per cent. The construction sector is expected to be more vibrant in coming years while SCORE will continue to become the core economic pillar,” he said.
“Moreover, Sarawak, being the biggest state in Malaysia with a 2.7 million population, is a resource rich state with a long coastline, huge coal reserves of some 40 million tonnes, hydro energy potential and vast land area,” he added.
On the relationship between China and Malaysia, he acknowledged that it had been strong.
“It is always an honour to forge more engagement with our counterparts in China and strengthen this already healthy bond between us,” he said.
Morshidi thus hopes the conference delegates can discuss and collaborate with local entrepreneurs and forge a win-win situation to start new business endeavours in Sarawak and expand businesses to their countries.
Meanwhile, ACE Conference advisor Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian urged entrepreneurs of all ages especially Sarawakians to be proactive in exploring and expanding trade and business opportunities so as not to be left behind by the global economic growth.
“The establishment of Asean will hit a major milestone with the formation of the Asean Economic Community by end of this year,” he said, highlighting the growth opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide in a region populated by 650 million people.
Dr Sim pointed out that the people-to-people initiatives, in addition to the government-to-government support, were keys to create a solid foundation to realise common interests and goals.
“We need to take this on a balanced approach with a good mix of young and old entrepreneurs working together to grow the economy. We need the youth for the energy and the senior ones the wisdom,” he said.
The People’s Republic of China consul-general in Kuching Liu Quan, conference organising chairman David Chew and Unimas vice chancellor Prof Dato Dr Mohammad Kadim Suaidi were among those present.
In saying this, state secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani emphasised the need for all Asean member states plus China to capitalise on the economic transformation that was fast happening around the world.
“With current political stability and harmonious environment coupled with business friendly government and efficient administration, Sarawak is becoming a major foreign investment destination,” he said at the inaugural Asean-China Entrepreneurs (ACE) Conference held at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
It was jointly organised by Sarawak Entrepreneurs Association (SEA), Unimas University Community Transformational Centre (UCTC) and Fame International College.
More than 270 delegates, both local and foreign, attended the conference that served as a platform to strengthen ties, expand networking, discover new business and trade opportunities, to share latest information and experiences as well as to seal potential deals.
Quoting Malaysia Investment Development Authority, Morshidi said Sarawak recorded the second highest direct investment in the country at RM9.64 billion, with 18 projects approved last year.
“Out of the investment, RM8.40 billion was from overseas while the remaining was domestic,” he added.
On SCORE, he said it is one of Sarawak’s flagship programmes to develop the state as an economic hub in the region.
“SCORE has ten priority sectors; namely aluminium, glass, steel, oil-based, palm oil, fishing and aquaculture, livestock, timber-based, marine and tourism,” he elaborated.
Morshidi assured that all government agencies were strategized to create programmes to support SCORE.
“In our efforts to produce more qualified manpower to realise the industrialisation of Sarawak, there are 119 tertiary and technical and vocational institutions set up in Sarawak,” he said.
“In addition, the 11th Malaysia Plan for Sarawak announced by the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) will be the main development agenda for Sarawak in the next five years,” he added.
The development plan, Morshidi reassured, was formulated based on thorough studies, consultations and analysis with the main aim of bringing development to the people.
“With the robust economic growth, Sarawak achieved a steady annual growth of four to five per cent. The construction sector is expected to be more vibrant in coming years while SCORE will continue to become the core economic pillar,” he said.
“Moreover, Sarawak, being the biggest state in Malaysia with a 2.7 million population, is a resource rich state with a long coastline, huge coal reserves of some 40 million tonnes, hydro energy potential and vast land area,” he added.
On the relationship between China and Malaysia, he acknowledged that it had been strong.
“It is always an honour to forge more engagement with our counterparts in China and strengthen this already healthy bond between us,” he said.
Morshidi thus hopes the conference delegates can discuss and collaborate with local entrepreneurs and forge a win-win situation to start new business endeavours in Sarawak and expand businesses to their countries.
Meanwhile, ACE Conference advisor Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian urged entrepreneurs of all ages especially Sarawakians to be proactive in exploring and expanding trade and business opportunities so as not to be left behind by the global economic growth.
“The establishment of Asean will hit a major milestone with the formation of the Asean Economic Community by end of this year,” he said, highlighting the growth opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide in a region populated by 650 million people.
Dr Sim pointed out that the people-to-people initiatives, in addition to the government-to-government support, were keys to create a solid foundation to realise common interests and goals.
“We need to take this on a balanced approach with a good mix of young and old entrepreneurs working together to grow the economy. We need the youth for the energy and the senior ones the wisdom,” he said.
The People’s Republic of China consul-general in Kuching Liu Quan, conference organising chairman David Chew and Unimas vice chancellor Prof Dato Dr Mohammad Kadim Suaidi were among those present.